Chapter 2 – A New World, A Weak Body
The morning air carried the earthy scent of wet soil and dry straw. The sky was a pale gray, with the sun still hiding behind a veil of mist. Fenrir awoke on a rough wooden bed, his body trembling from the cold that seeped into his bones.
He opened his eyes slowly, staring at the cracked wooden ceiling above. No neon lights, no hum of traffic, no electric buzz. Only the sound of crows and the whisper of wind through a narrow window.
So… it wasn't a dream, he thought, raising his small hand. His fingers were thin, his skin pale, his palms rough with faint calluses. This was no longer the body of a grown man—it was the fragile frame of a child.
Footsteps approached. A young woman with long blonde hair entered, carrying a basin of water. It was Elena, mother of his new body. Her beauty was softened by fatigue, her eyes weary yet warm. When she saw Fenrir awake, her lips curved into a relieved smile.
"You're awake, my little Fenrir," she said gently, setting the basin on a rickety table before sitting at the edge of his bed. "How do you feel? You fainted yesterday after running in the fields."
Fenrir hesitated. His tongue felt heavy, but he forced a small smile. "I… I'm fine, Mother."
Elena's gaze softened. She brushed his hair with trembling fingers. "Good. You're a strong boy, even if your body is frail. Your father will be proud."
Her words pierced deeper than she knew. A frail body… In this world, where knights wielded swords and aura defined strength, a weak body meant doom. But rather than despair, a fire sparked within him. If I can overcome this weakness, I'll be stronger than anyone else.
---
In the days that followed, Fenrir observed his surroundings carefully. The Eisenwald estate was nothing more than a poor frontier fief under the Luminaria Empire. Its main village housed barely a hundred families, mostly farmers. Muddy roads wound between simple barns, and a fragile wooden fence encircled the settlement.
His father, Cedric von Eisenwald, was no wealthy baron. Once a knight, he had been grievously wounded in a border war, given this barren land as both reward and exile. A limp haunted his every step, his hand always clutching a cane. And yet, despite the scar of defeat, Cedric's eyes still held the sharpness of a warrior.
One evening, Cedric summoned Fenrir to the training yard. A wooden sword lay on the ground. "Fenrir," he said firmly, "you may be small, but Eisenwald blood runs in your veins. Sooner or later, you must lift a sword."
Fenrir eyed the wooden blade. It looked harmless, yet when he lifted it, his arms trembled violently. To his frail body, it felt as heavy as iron.
Cedric chuckled softly. "No matter. You'll learn, bit by bit."
But Fenrir's lips tightened. No. I can't afford to be slow. I carry knowledge no one else in this world does. I must begin now.
---
That night, while the manor slept, Fenrir sat cross-legged in his chamber. He tried to regulate his breathing, mimicking meditation techniques he had read about in countless books and novels.
Then, the metallic voice returned.
[Strategic System Online]
[New Quest: Unlock First Aura]
Description: Aura is the foundation of power in this world. Without aura, you are but a mortal.
Condition: Sense the energy within your body and ignite the first spark.
Reward: +5 Strategy Points.
His eyes widened, but his lips curled into a smile. So it's real… the system truly exists.
Closing his eyes, he focused inward. At first, he felt only the chill of the night air and the chirping of crickets. But slowly, something stirred— a faint warmth deep in his chest, like the flicker of a hidden flame.
"There you are…" he whispered, coaxing the warmth. Pain surged through him, searing his frail body from within.
Yet Fenrir clenched his teeth. I've already died once. I won't fail in this world.
A faint bluish glow flickered across his skin—weak, fragile, but undeniably real.
[Mission failed. Aura not yet unlocked]
Fenrir collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath, but his face was flushed. This was just the first step. I will surpass them all—even with this weak body.
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